News

USAID Oceans continues to work closely with BFAR to test and enhance the capabilities of the eCDTS. Over the last year, partners (e.g., BFAR and Industry First Movers, etc.) have been able to begin to assess the impacts of the system and identify a strategy for expanding the system beyond the General Santos City learning site and throughout the Philippines. To date, the system has traced over 25 million metric tons of tuna.

USAID Oceans has been working in partnership with the Indonesia Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), local government, private sector and non-governmental partners to develop and implement an electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) system in the program’s learning site of Bitung, Indonesia. Since USAID Oceans’ engagement with Indonesia in 2015, the Government of Indonesia and industry partners have made great bounds in achieving end-to-end traceability.

USAID Oceans recently announced the Southeast Asia Business Innovation Competition, to be held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2019. The Competition seeks to expand the region’s business ‘ecosystem’ of companies offering transformative products and services to address challenges faced in ocean conservation and seafood traceability.

In 2018, Anova joined USAID Oceans’ network of partners to establish full-chain traceability for tuna products harvested in Southeast Asia that are imported into the United States, and since has reported business benefits realized from piloted technology innovations. In addition to contributing to more sustainable fisheries, Anova has experienced increased assurance in meeting market requirements, a greater ability to meet customer requirements, and enhanced business efficiencies.

In December, USAID Oceans selected two grantees to support its work to leverage eCDT data to improve fisheries management. Two grantees were selected in the program’s Indonesia and the Philippines learning sites, Masyarakat dan Perikanan (MDPI) in Indonesia and Mindanao State University Naawan Foundation for Science and Technology Development, Inc. (MSUNFSTDI) in the Philippines, to undertake data analysis that can be shared with all ASEAN member countries to inform traceability initiatives across the region.

FROM "BAIT TO PLATE"

Learn how USAID Oceans is working with public and private sector partners across the region to develop and implement electronic catch documentation and traceability (eCDT) systems that combat illegal fishing practices, improve fisheries management, enhance human welfare, and support global interests of maritime security, prosperous markets, and food security.

USAID Oceans is working to combat IUU fishing and enhance South East Asia’s fisheries through a multi-prong approach that takes into account the complexities of the issue and the people that it impacts.